1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a portable information processing apparatus such as a notebook personal computer having an improved acoustic effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
In information processing apparatus such as computers in recent years, functions which allow processing of images and sound called multimedia, data communication and so forth, are installed also in portable information processing apparatus. In such a situation, in regard to sound, a notebook personal computer which is a kind of conventional portable information processing apparatus has developed from a type which includes, as in an old apparatus in which a speaker began to be installed, a buzzer or a like element which merely generates beep or warning sound to another type which is equipped with an acoustic apparatus which outputs sound of high quality such as stereo sound using a CD for music, a CD-ROM or a like medium as a sound source while it is successively equipped with higher functions.
However, since portability and reduction in weight are required for a portable information processing apparatus, a speaker built in a portable information processing apparatus is designed to fall within a range of restrictions. In a conventional notebook personal computer, a speaker of a small size is mounted in an upwardly directed condition in a body of the notebook personal computer as seen in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 2 denotes a body of a notebook personal computer having a keyboard 4, and a display unit 6 is mounted for pivotal motion on the body 2. A speaker 8 is mounted in an upwardly directed condition in the body 2, and an opening formed in a front wall of the speaker 8 is closed up with a cover 10 which has a plurality of holes 11.
Since a notebook personal computer has a small speaker mounting space, a higher acoustic effect must be obtained with a speaker of a small size. However, where a speaker of a small size is mounted in an upwardly directed condition in a body as in the conventional notebook personal computer described above, high-pitched sound which has a high directivity is released upwardly. Thus, the conventional notebook personal computer has a problem in that an operator of the personal computer listens to sound from which high-pitched sound has been removed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. Heisei 8-171477 discloses a construction wherein a speaker is mounted in a horizontally laid condition in a body and is used in an uprightly erected condition when necessary. However, mounting of the speaker for pivotal motion on the body gives rise to a problem in handling of a cable connected to the speaker. Further, since the speaker is small in size and low in weight, the possibility is high that vibrations of the body may occur when great sound is produced from the speaker or sound produced has a resonance frequency.